Column: After MSU's failure, 'Spartans will' ... what?

People march along Grand River in East Lansing on Friday January 26, 2018 on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing while speaking out against sexual assault following the Larry Nassar case.(Photo: Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press)Buy Photo

The phrase has rubbed me wrong since my freshman year English professor had us write an essay about the slogan. Ultimately, I only understood the inherent ambiguity. It reads like an unanswered question. Suspended in an uncertain universe. “We will…?”

And what “will” we do? What "will" we be? Because lately, here’s what I’ve seen: Spartans will be paralyzed with inaction. Spartans will release statements of resignation still accepting none of the blame, not even acknowledging a sliver of the apathy that contributed to atrocious sexual abuse. Spartans will look away when students who were violated ask for help.

Maria Vicini(Photo: Maria Vicini)

MSU has shown us that in the top-level of its administration there are cowards who hide behind salaries, reputations, contracts or layers and layers of reports they either don’t have the time to read, or don’t care enough to read. They are blinded not by true passion for school colors but for the type of green that comes in the form of salaries, donations and tuition checks.

However, these are only some of the Spartans.

The beauty of the “Spartans will” phrase, is that it leaves the ending up to us. We are given this incomplete sentence, tarnished and beaten up, but not yet broken. Their apathy has given us a chance to complete what they were too cowardly to commit to.

I’ve spent several of the past days ashamed to be a Spartan. But I’m not ashamed anymore. I finally understand that we are here to complete the phrase, “Spartans will.” Michigan State is a malleable symbol that reflects our beliefs and transforms with what each one of us does.

So yes, MSU “leaders” have failed us. MSU treats certain athletes like gods and scoffs at others who were violated. But they would go on to become athletes who not only ... you know ... compete in the Olympics, but earn degrees and jobs, and eventually stare their abuser in the face to bravely ensure he is stopped and the system will change.

They are the real leaders. And so are we. Real Spartans. The people who live this every single day. MSU (and our entire country) has shown it listens to only loud voices, voices that take up space. We have to keep being loud, and we have to keep being brave. It’s no longer about what our supposed leaders didn’t do. It’s about our own will to move forward, to have strength.

We are the end of the sentence. We are the future of this university.

Maria Vicini, 22 of Farmington Hills, is a graduate student at Michigan State University and also went to MSU for her undergraduate studies.